Un Combat Sanglant
by Jude Rigby
Summary: The Agency is threatened claims that someone in the Agency is responsible for a number of robbery-homicides that have happened in Los Angeles. DylanxAnthony pairing. Title means 'A Bloody Battle'


A/N: This is the 3rd story in my Anthony/Dylan series. It follows 'A Sweet Revenge' and 'The Winter Art Burglary.' This story takes place a year after the end of 'The Winter Art Burglary.'  
  
A/N #2: Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last story. I really appreciate it!  
  
A/N #3: Happy Halloween!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Charlie's Angels or its characters. Only a few here and there are my own.  
  
I  
The Baptism  
Dylan and Anthony  
  
I ran through the parking lot, looking at my watch and cursing myself.  
  
"Hurry Dylan!" Adam Ryder yelled to me. "The priest is going to start."  
  
Once I had reached him, I took a minute to catch my breath before I spoke. "Anthony and I got up late this morning," I said.  
  
"It's okay," Adam said. "Where is Anthony?"  
  
"Here," Anthony said calmly, coming up behind me.  
  
"Come on, let's go inside and sit," Adam said. He then turned and walked into the church.  
  
Anthony and I followed him. Right near the door was a bowl of water. Anthony dipped two fingers in it and then quickly made the sign of the cross. When he had finished, he put his hand on back.  
  
We walked over to where Catherine Ryder and Adam were sitting and sat down next to them.  
  
"Hey," Catherine whispered to me.  
  
"Sorry we're late," I said softly.  
  
"It's okay, just as long as you came," Catherine said. "Why don't you hold her for a minute?"  
  
"You know you don't have to ask me that Cathy," I said, holding my arms out to her.  
  
Catherine smiled and then carefully handed me the baby she was holding.  
  
The baby, Megan Crown Ryder, smiled and cooed at me as I situated her in my arms. At six months old Meg, as we all called her, was a happy baby and she rarely cried.  
  
"Now remind me again Cathy," I said as I stopped Meg from grabbing my earring. "Why you're having her baptized at a Catholic church."  
  
"Well, she's part Irish," Catherine said.  
  
"Actually she's seventy-five percent Irish," Adam said. "And all of our Irish relatives are Catholics. And there's the fact that both of us were baptized Catholics. So we thought it would make sense to have her baptized that too."  
  
Before we could talk more, the priest arrived and the baptism began.  
  
Anthony  
  
After the baptism was over, they all went over to Adam and Catherine's house. It was just the four of them and the baby, so they had a small party to celebrate the baptism.  
  
"Dylan," Catherine said as she laid Megan on a blanket that was spread in front of the couch. "Why don't you go and get Conner? You know how much Meg likes him."  
  
"I'll be back," Dylan said. She got up from her armchair and hurried out of the house.  
  
"So Anthony," Adam said. "Have you thought about having the wedding ceremony in Oahu like we suggested?"  
  
"A little," he answered slowly. "I would like to talk to Dylan about i-it."  
  
"Well, why don't you put it in the back of your mind," Catherine said, helping Megan stand up. "You could take a trip there and surprise her by having the ceremony while you're there."  
  
"I will think about it," Anthony said slowly.  
  
The front door of the house opened and Dylan walked in with Conner, her and Anthony's Irish wolfhound.  
  
Megan, seeing the dog, cried out and tried to move her legs to get to him.  
  
"Hold on a sec Meg," Dylan said laughingly. She walked Conner over to her and then took off his leash.  
  
Gurgling happily, Megan wrapped her arms around Conner's neck with Catherine's help.  
  
"I'm going to help Adam get the food ready," Catherine said. "Watch her for me."  
  
Anthony looked on while Dylan played with Megan and tried to keep the baby from pulling on Conner's tail.  
  
"They're a handful," Dylan said, trying to keep Megan from pulling on Anthony's necklace that she was wearing. "But they can be sweet too."  
  
Anthony nodded, and then he got up from the couch and sat on the floor next to Dylan.  
  
"Hold her for a minute Anthony," Dylan said, handing Megan over to him.  
  
He took the baby, who laughed up at him and patted his cheek with her tiny hand.  
  
"She loves you," Dylan said, her eyes sparkling.  
  
"Hey you guys," Catherine then called from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready"  
  
Dylan  
  
During the meal, the conversation eventually turned towards the subject of the Agency and Charlie.  
  
"So it's been how long since your last case?" Adam asked.  
  
"Two months," I answered. "That's about as often as we get them now, ever since the Agency was re-opened."  
  
"Why is that?" Catherine asked.  
  
"You know, I'm not really sure," I answered. "It looks like the only cases we're getting are from private citizens now."  
  
"How many were from the government and police originally?" Catherine asked.  
  
"I'd say at least sixty percent of the cases," I answered.  
  
"That's very strange," Adam said.  
  
"Yeah. Charlie has talked with the FBI and LAPD," I said. "But they told him that there weren't any cases they needed our help on."  
  
"That seems like a lie," Catherine commented.  
  
I just shrugged and took a sip of wine. Then I changed the subject and finished eating.  
  
"Dylan," Catherine said a few hours later.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"When are you and Anthony going to get married?" she asked as she changed Megan into her pajamas. "It's been a year since he proposed."  
  
"I know," I answered. "It's just that we want to wait and see what happens with the Agency before we do that."  
  
"Is it in danger of closing?" Catherine asked in surprise tone as she set Megan down in her crib.  
  
"I don't know," I said. I walked over to the crib and leaned down, kissing Megan's cheek softly. "Night Meg," I whispered.  
  
Anthony  
  
Later that night, Anthony was sitting up in bed and reading a book.  
  
Dylan walked out of the bathroom, wearing a long blue silk nightgown. "Anthony," she called to him.  
  
He looked up and saw what she was wearing. He put his book down on the bedside table and watched as Dylan walked over to the bed.  
  
She sat down on his lap and kissed him deeply. When she pulled back she whispered, "Love you."  
  
"Love y-you," Anthony answered. He reached over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand. Then he pulled Dylan to him and they began to make love. 


End file.
